Has Bible Prophecy Already Been Fulfilled?-Part 8

By: Dr. Thomas Ice; ©1999

In this article Thomas Ice focuses on the word “eggus,” translated “the time is near, as he continues his refutation of the preterist view of fulfilled prophecy.

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Has Bible Prophecy Already Been Fulfilled? Part VIII

Those who have been following this series on the errors of preterism have learned that the heart of their false interpretative approach to Bible prophecy revolves around what they call “time texts.” Preterists contend that the terms “quickly” and “near” form the basis for their theory that the Book of Revelation was primarily fulfilled in the A.D. 70 destruction of Jerusalem. In my previous installment, I noted that “quickly,” is not a “time statement” at all, but is used in Revelation as a qualitative description of how these events will unfold when they begin to take place in the future. This article will attempt to demonstrate that “near,” like “quickly,” is used to speak of imminent events that could commence at any future time.

For the Time is Near

Preterists contend that the twice-used phrase “the time is near” (eggús) (Rev. 1:3; 22:10) demands a first century fulfillment. Kenneth Gentry explains:

How could such events so remotely stretched out into the future be “at hand”? But if the expected events were to occur within a period of from one to five years—as in the case with Revelation if the book were written prior to A.D. 70—then all becomes clear.

In answer to Gentry, I believe that “near” or “at hand” (eggús) is used in Revelation to teach imminency and not a first century return. Philip E. Hughes rightly says, “the time is near, that is to say, the time of fulfillment is imminent. This interval between the comings of Christ is the time of the last days, and the last of these last days is always impending.” William Newell calls it, “the nearness, the next-ness, the at-hand-ness, of its time is given by our Lord.”

The Meaning of Eggús

Gentry notes that eggús “is an adverb of time formed from two words: en (in, at) and guîon (limb, hand). Hence the meaning is literally ‘at hand’.” The disagreement between the two views concerns the event which are said to be at hand. Preterists say it refers to the Lord coming in judgment through the Roman army in order to destroy Jerusalem and the Temple in A.D. 70. Futurists believe it refers to the “time of the end” that will culminate in Christ’s bodily return.

Preterists reason that eggús is a timing indicator. Preterists believe it must refer to some event near the time in which the document was written. It is true that eggús can and often is used to refer to something that takes place within a short span of time from when it is stated. Yet, there are other instances when eggús may refer to a thing as “at hand,” or “within reach.” This would not mean that a thing must come soon or even come at all. A thing may be said to be near, but it does not mean that the thing must actually arrive in a short period of time.

A sports illustration may help. A team may make it to the championship game and it could be said that the championship is “at hand” or “within grasp.” This would not mean that the championship is certain to come within a short period of time, just because it is at hand. For the Buffalo Bills the NFL championship has been “near,” “at hand” on four occasions, but thus far it has yet to arrive.

The Kingdom of God is “at hand”

The same issues that are involved in the preterist vs. futurist discussion are also seen in the meaning of the phrase “The kingdom . . . has drawn near” (a form of eggús). We speak of the Davidic or Messianic kingdom, not God’s spiritual kingdom that has always been operative. Some think that “near” must always have the implied sense of “arrival.” Others, including myself, see the sense as “close proximity.” Scripture teaches that Israel could have obtained their Messianic kingdom by recognizing Jesus as their Messiah. Yet, they rejected Him. As a result, the kingdom is no longer near but postponed, awaiting Jewish belief. However, during the current intervening Church Age, there is the overhang­ing possibility that at any moment God will rapture the Church and resume Israel’s final week (seven years) of history leading up to their acceptance of Jesus as their Messiah and the resulting kingdom which will last 1,000 years.

Stanley Toussaint supports this interpretation in the following way:

First, the hearers were to repent so that they could enter the kingdom when it arrived. This is clearly the emphasis of John’s preaching in Matthew 3:7-12 (cf. Luke 3:7-17) . . . . Those who expected to enter the future kingdom had to be prepared spiritually by repentance (cf. Ezek. 20:37-38).

A second reason existed for the necessity of repentance: it was necessary for Israel to repent for the kingdom to come. . . . It is seen in the Lord’s pronouncements of judgment on the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum (Matt. 11:20-24; Luke 10:13-15). The reason? They did not repent. In Matthew 12:41 Jesus said, “The men of Nineveh shall stand up with this generation at the judgment, and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here” (cf. Luke 11:32). Because Israel did not repent, the kingdom could not come; instead the nation was doomed for judgment. Repentance is involved in and necessary for the coming of the kingdom (cf. Deut. 28:1-30:20; 2 Chron. 7:14; Ezek. 36:31; Hos. 5:14-15; 6:1-3; Zech. 12:10-14; Mal. 4:5-6).

. . . The amazing feature in all this is that the Lord predicted the kingdom of God will once again be near in the future during that great time of stress known as the Tribulation. In Luke 21:31a he prophesied, “Even so you, too, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near.” This is important because it indicates the kingdom is not now near. It was near; then it ceased to be near; in the future it will be near again. This strongly suggests the kingdom was offered to Israel, but because the nation rejected its Messiah the kingdom was and is no longer near.

Imminence

Dr. Charles C. Ryrie has given the following definition of New Testament imminence:

. . . “impending, hanging over one’s head, ready to take place.” An imminent event is one that is always ready to take place. . . . something may happen before an imminent event occurs, but they do not insist that anything must take place before if happens; otherwise, it would not be imminent.

The language of the “at hand” passages in Revelation teaches the above notion of imminence. This makes good sense, especially in light of Revelation 22:10 which says, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near (eggús).” To what is John referring? He has in mind a period of time from the Book of Daniel. The phrase “time of the end” occurs five times in Daniel (8:17; 11:35, 40; 12:4, 9). This phrase, “time of the end” refers to Israel’s final period of history, which Daniel was told to seal up the meaning until that time. John, however, is told not to seal it up. Since 22:10 occurs at the end of the book and must refer to the total message of Revelation, it is inconsistent to interpret part of the message as having already been fulfilled while another part is still future. If one is going to use eggús in 22:10 as an argument for preterism, as Gentry does, then it must refer to John’s entire vision. It is better to understand eggús teaching immi­nency of a period of time that could begin to happen without the warning of signs. F. C. Jennings speaks of imminence in the following:

In the one case the book is to be left open, “the time is near;” in the other sealed up, for the time was still afar. . . . There is nothing to come between in the former—much in the latter. Nor do the words we are considering at all necessitate the immediate fulfillment of all the words. They do, however (what the Lord ever seeks), put us in the attitude of immediate and constant expectancy and watchfulness. Oh, look at time with God. “Long” will not be long then; any more than when we actually look back at it from eternity.

Why Imminence?

A survey of the New Testament enables one to realize that there is an expectancy regarding the return of Christ and the consummation of His plan that is not found in the Old Testament. The passion of the Old Testament is for Israel to enter into her Kingdom bless­ing with Messiah. This is what Daniel was anticipating (Dan. 9) when he “observed in the books the number of years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years” (Dan. 9:2). The rest of Daniel 9 conveys his desire to see the culmination of the Lord’s plan in His Kingdom reign. Apparently, Daniel thought God would institute the Messianic Age upon Israel’s return from their 70-year captivity. However, God had other plans. As the rest of Daniel 9 reveals through an angel, God was stretching out Israel’s history. It would not be 70 more years, but 70 times 7, or 490 years until the culmination of Israel’s history in the Kingdom.

In the New Testament we see the rejection of Jesus as Messiah by Israel, and conse­quently, the postponement of the Kingdom. God is prolonging the time until Israel’s King­dom appears. However, this time God promises that when the current age comes to an end, the next period will include the restoration of the kingdom to Israel (Acts 1:6, 11). The length of our current Church Age is a mystery, part of the secret, unrevealed plan of God. God has not revealed the length of time of this present age. Peter tells us that the duration of this age is based upon our Lord’s great patience (2 Pet. 3:9), which has thus far been almost 2,000 years long.

This current age focuses upon the imminency of our Lord’s Return, which will at last trigger Daniel’s final week of years. Events in the book of Revelation are said “to be at hand,” that is, they are to be the next season of events that will occur. John Walvoord explains:

The expression “at hand” indicates nearness from the standpoint of prophetic revelation, not necessarily that the event will immediately occur. . . . The time period in which the tremendous consummation of the ages is to take place, according to John’s instruction, is near. The indeterminate period assigned to the church is the last dispensation before end-time events and, in John’s day as in ours, the end is always impending because of the imminent return of Christ at the rapture with the ordered sequence of events to follow.

Conclusion

Preterists seek to support their view that Revelation has already been fulfilled by their interpretation of the phrase “at hand.” They confuse the A.D. 70 event for our future hope by trying to argue that “at hand” must refer to a soon event, rather than the next event. This interpretation robs believers of a prominent New Testament motive for Christian ser‑

vice. Hughes notes that the “Lord is always coming soon (verses 7, 12, 20; 3:11), but at an unrevealed hour, and those who are wise will live their lives in the expectation of his com­ing. Hence this book with its promises and warnings and exhortations is to remain un­sealed and open for all to read. Those who impenitently and obdurately refuse to heed its message will persist in their ungodly ways, but they do not thereby separate themselves from the sovereign rule of God.”

Notes

1. Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr., Before Jerusalem Fell: Dating the Book of Revelation (Tyler, TX: Institute for Christian Economics, 1989), p. 141.

2. Philip Edgcumbe Hughes, The Book of the Revelation (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1990), p. 237.

3. William R. Newell, Revelation: A Complete Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1935, 1987), p. 362.

4. Gentry, Before Jerusalem Fell, p. 140.

5. Stanley D. Toussaint, “The Contingency of the Coming of the Kingdom” in Charles H. Dyer & Roy B. Zuck, editors, Integrity of Heart, Skillfulness of Hands: Biblical and Lead­ership Studies in Honor of Donald K. Campbell (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1994), pp. 232-33.

6. Charles C. Ryrie, Come Quickly, Lord Jesus: What You Need To Know About The Rap­ture (Eugene, Org.: Harvest House Publishers, 1996), p. 22.

7. F. C. Jennings, Studies in Revelation (New York: Publications Office “Our Hope,” n.d.,), p. 22.

8. John F. Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ (Chicago: Moody Press, 1966), pp. 37, 334.

9. Hughes, P. 237.

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